by Susan Palmes-Dennis
Charlotte, North Carolina—Last Sunday’s Dennis family reunion at the Anderson Grove Baptist Church in Albemarle, North Carolina--said to be the 85th--was a success.
The reunion was a mix of the old and new generations of the Dennis clan which claimed roots in Ireland and had Dutch ancestry, said Jerry Dennis, head of the clan since 1997.
There were absentees and the message of Jerry Dennis rang loud and clear: “They need to get involved because this is their heritage, this is where they came from.”
A committee headed by Tammy Dennis will plan next year’s reunion that will get more young Dennis kin to attend. “I hope this works. I love to attend these reunions all my life. Good food and good fellowship. It’s always awesome,” Jerry Dennis said.
Jerry Dennis, son of James Julius “Hoss” Dennis, recalled that the reunion used to be a whole day affair that lasted from noon to sunset or 6 pm.
“I remember we made lemonade, somebody slicing, another hand squeezing fresh lemons and placing ice on the barrel. There was a long table and we placed food on it. Oh man, it was fun, with all men playing horseshoes,” he said.
Jerry credited the late Lucille Dennis who outlined the Dennis genealogy book now owned by her daughter Zelma “Summer” Eudy. “Lucille can connect everybody in the clan,” he said.
Jerry said the clan reunions used to be held at Lucille’s house and it lasted until 9 pm. The kids would hang out all night there, Jerry said.
The Dennis clan came from Albemarle and Troy in the counties of Stanly and Montgomery. “I didn’t know that until my cousin from Mt. Airy was investigating the family history and found out that our name was Dennison originally from the Dutch Irish who came here and changed it to Dennis, that is what I was told,” Jerry said.
With pride in his voice, Jerry said the Dennis family contributed much to the Troy and Montgomery counties where most of the clan is based.
Vivian Vair who is the current clan secretary shared that when she retired there was no doubt in her mind that she is going back home to her roots.
This year more than 50 adults excluding children attended the 85th Dennis family reunion. A clan election ended up with Ronnie Dennis succeeding Jerry as clan president.
Gifts were given to the seniors and the youngsters but it was agreed that gifts will be replaced with cards in next year’s reunion.
When meal time came, I was surprised to see enough food to feed an entire village or one barangay in the Philippines. Also in attendance were the Dennis brothers, son of William Hugh Dennis Sr. and Mary Guinn (Bill, Ronnie and Larry Keith). The youngest brother Gary Dean could not make it due to a previous engagement.
Eldest brother Wayne Dennis died last year. The Dennis brothers’ grandfather was the late Barry Littleton Dennis who was married to Emma Hamilton Dennis.
Later as the reunion winded down, Jerry said he dreams that a family quilt tracing the Dennis clan genealogy will be made before he passes away.
“Ireland where our ancestors came ftom is a popular country. I would like to have a quilt and they have a certain pattern and I would like to have one before I pass to the Great Beyond,” he said.
A family reunion gives time for everyone in the clan to remember, laugh, share stories and make new memories. Last Sunday’s reunion ended with a resolve to make it better next year and I hope it will be so.
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
Charlotte, North Carolina--Heaven rejoiced when family members and closest friends of Cheryle Stephens Dennis celebrated her life and times during her funeral service at First Baptist Church in Hamlet last Saturday, Sept. 14.
Sure there were tears and the sadness was palpable as I saw Cheryle’s husband Bill wipe a tear or two. But it was a beautiful funeral service to quote Cheryle’s son Shawn Steele who posted his thoughts on his Facebook page hours after she was laid to rest.
It was hot at the Rockingham Memorial Park, but not so hot since it was the last days of summer when Cheryle was buried there. The closed casket was almost draped with beautifully arranged, colorful roses, pansies, daisies and a few green leaves.
A bouquet of flowers stood tall facing the mourners which made the occasion special as it gave them time to cherish Cheryle’s company for the last time.
The church was filled with family, relatives, church members and family friends who listened to Cheryle’s favorite hymns being played while her favorite Biblical passages as underlined in her own Bible were read during the service officiated by Pastor Allison Farrah of First Baptist Church.
Cheryle was blessed to have two pastors in her wake, service and burial, the other being her son Rev. Billy Dennis of Roberdel Baptist Church. Cheryle, who would insist that her name is spelled ‘with a y after an r” was the wife of Bill Dennis, elder brother of my husband Ronnie Dennis.
She was not only a sister-in-law to me but a friend who would always check on me especially during the time I coped with breast cancer treatments. Cheryle would also ask about my family in Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental province, northern Mindanao in the Philippines.
Cheryle Stephens Dennis was born on January 13,1945 in Hamlet to Charles and Catherine Lucas Stephens. She retired after 25 years of service as Human Resource Officer for the city of Hamlet and was a beloved member of her church, the First Baptist Church of Hamlet.
A Hamlet native, Cheryle liked fish but didn’t eat it, she loved butterflies and the beach.
In fact she and Bill just returned from the beach a week before her accident.
In her homily, Dr. Farrah described Cheryle as having a quick wit and a great sense of humor.
She also said Cheryle would be sorely missed by their church. “She was a sweet spirit who left a beautiful legacy of love and devotion for us to embrace and emulate,” Pastor Farrah said of Cheryle.
During family gatherings I always witnessed and welcomed the match between Ronnie and Cheryle, wondering who would fire the first verbal volley and trust me, the exchanges between them would stir up laughter from those who gathered around them including me.
I remembered Ronnie saying ‘I’m tired of people telling me I’m fat,” and then he would look at Cheryle and tell her ‘you need to put on weight’ and she would smile, albeit a tight lipped smile.
Cheryle was also a fan of Tim Tebow, the professional football player whose parents were missionaries in the Philippines where he was born. She appreciated the fact that Tebow lives up to his Christian belief by doing outreach programs in the country.
When she was confined at the hospital with a neck brace, Cheryle didn’t show any discomfort nor signs of pain. Ronnie would put a smile on her face when he told her ‘try to turn me on’, as she was with a hospital gown. Even in her condition that time Cheryle still checked on her husband Bill who is a heart patient.
This clear display of concern was a trait emulated by son, the Rev. Bill Dennis in his words of remembrance to his departed mom. The soft-spoken Rev. Billy had a lot of memories with her, including family vacations and her time spent counseling him and his wife Sandy as well as the births and birthdays of their children.
“(Cheryle) loved the Lord, her church and she was willing to share or tell others that her choices are based on the words of the Lord. She believed in the power of prayer. She truly loved my father, she always loved him and his family specially in difficult times of his life,” the Rev. Dennis said.
There were three ladies inside the church who tapped me on my shoulder and held my hand and told me how Cheryle loved me and would tell them about me.
One of them, a Ms. Barbara is a childhood friend of Cheryle that now lives in Florida. The other is a Mrs. Byrd while I forgot the name of the other lady. And another lady I forgot the name.
And then there’s the pretty lady serving soda and water at the counter of the First Baptist Church after the funeral who told me about Cheryle. I am amazed at what a remarkable lady Cheryle was. No wonder her hospital room and at the hospice drew lots of visitors from all walks of life.
Cheryle was loved by the Dennis brothers and their families were all there. Dean and Ann with sons Gary and wife Nikki with their lovely children Myles and Savannah, Christopher and Melissa and daughter Catherine as well as brother Keith Dennis and wife Doris with daughter Lorie Tew and husband Greg.
The granddaughter Meghan was also present. Of course Ronnie and me and daughter Karen and husband Tom Smith were also there.
Cheryle is survived by husband Bill, sons Shawn Steele, Rev. Billy Dennis and wife Sandy and their children, Heather Dennis Jones and husband Calvin, Will Dennis IV and Tiffany.
To Cheryle you told me once that you are not only a Mrs. Dennis. You told me to love Ronnie forever. You told me I am so pretty and that you will love me forever.
Thank you very much for all the precious memories we shared together.
In closing I quote from the Rev. Bill Dennis who said ‘We can rejoice today with the knowledge you are all free from all suffering for eternity.’
Rest in perpetual peace Cheryle, in your heavenly home with the flowers and butterflies overlooking the radiant blue beach and looking at us who still remain on this Earth. Who says funerals should be so depressing? Cheryle’s funeral, while sad, is also cause for celebration of her life and her eternity with the Lord.
